Tears of Mors
by DeathMeetsLife
Summary: SasuSaku, NaruHina. The last Uchiha cannot yet move on, and not even he knows why. Chapter 2, Necromancy: n. method of divination through alleged communication with the dead. Title change! Was Portrait of Affection.
1. Quintessence

**Quintessence**

**Summary: (_n_.) the purest form or essence of something**

**Disclaimer: Don't own it… how could I on volunteer work and 20 bucks a month for allowance? I do own a book though… (swoons at smexy Ka-san)**

**A/N: my first oneshot/drabble collection… starting with a nice little SasuSaku**

**Please enjoy!**

The wind rippled through the trees, taking with it the frigid breath of Jack Frost. She rubbed her hands together, pulling her red sweater tighter around her. I watched as the breeze tossed her hair, reminding me vaguely of the blossoms from which she was named.

Jade orbs turned away from the forest, back to me. Her bright eyes met my dark, unseeing. She never did. Smiling a little, she sat next to me, laying her hand next to mine and her head against the black marble behind her.

"It's been a while, Sasuke-kun."

"You came to see me yesterday, Sakura." She ignored me, instead opting to pull her knees to her chin. Sighing, she closed her brilliant eyes, lips still turned upward in a grin.

"We've both changed a lot, haven't we?

"Indeed, we have," I nodded, reminiscing. I shook my head soon after, shaking off the memories. I had never before realized how much I missed my fan girl mob.

"I hope you have been doing well."

"As well as can be expected."

"I've been well, too. We've been well. All of us."

"So, the dobe finally got over it, huh?"

"We all want you to come back…"

"I guess not, then."

"… but I think we both know that will never happen."

"…"

"Sometimes you're too damn stubborn." She giggled quietly to herself, looking me fully in the eyes. She was still making me feel like she could see right through me.

I found myself reaching to cup her cheek, wanting her to drop her guise. My hand wavered, mere inches from her skin, before letting it drop again. Fortunately, she did not notice my gesture.

"Tsunade-sensei informed me this morning that I would soon be working directly under her – Shizune-san is being called away on a mission to Waterfall Country that will last a few years."

"Good. You've earned it."

She shrugged. "I guess it's alright… I secretly think she chose me because I'm just about the only person who can wake her up and who gambles worse than she does." Sakura chuckled again, remembering Team 7's last poker game. "We should do that again, sometime."

I sighed. "I've been a bit preoccupied, but that would be nice."

The sun emerged from behind the drifting clouds, rays of light filtering through the tree branches. Nothing that caught my immediate attention. I returned my gaze to my companion, who stretched like a cat before lying spread-eagle on the grass, eating up the warmth.

She was beautiful, then. I don't deny it. There are other times when she is beautiful: smiling with her friends, locked in a mind-numbing battle, crying for an injured teammate. But then, completely at peace on the forest floor, she was the definition of serenity. She was simply extravagant.

After what seemed like short minutes, but were, in reality, long hours, she stood, dusting grass off her back.

"Well, Sasuke-kun," she turned to me, eyes shining brightly, "it's that time again."

"So it is." Her fingers nimbly danced over an engraving on the stone, tracing every inch, burning the name into her heart. A silent tear trailed down her cheek. Every time, it was only then when she cried.

"Until tomorrow, then." The tear dropped to the ground. "I love you."

The wind rippled through the trees, taking with it the frigid breath of Jack Frost. I watched once more as she pulled her sweater tighter, never minding the breeze combing through her hair. I whispered my response to the gentle wind. I know she heard me, a faint whistle of the gust that blew past her ear. She smiled a faint smile, a real smile, knowing I would be waiting for her return.

Haruno Sakura departed from the memorial, thankful to know I returned her heart, even in death.

**A/N: A bit angsty… not quite my style. I wrote this damned thing at one in the morning… (grumbles) oh well. Please give me some feedback!**

**--DML**


	2. Necromancy

**Necromancy**

**Summary: (_n_.) a method of divination through alleged communication with the dead. **

**Disclaimer: Don't sue unless you are just _that_ desperate to earn a quarter. I don't own _Naruto._**

**A/N: at long last, the second part of my story. Enjoy!**

The man sighed, slightly annoyed that he could not see his breath in the chilled air. Outstretched before the black memorial, he gazed up at the grey clouds that blanketed the heavens, blocking the warming sun. If someone had stridden into the clearing at that moment, they would have seen a home-sick warrior, too tired to complete the journey that seemed so close to an end.

Perhaps they wouldn't.

If someone had stridden into the clearing at that moment, they would have seen a thin blanket of silver frost lying upon the ground, resting like lace upon the fragile strands of grass.

The light wind gently caressed his cheek, softly reminding him that he should feel the cold in his short-sleeved uniform top and his lightweight pants. He felt a small tug in his chest when he realized he did not. He briefly closed his onyx eyes, trying to recall the sensation of biting ice and howling winds to his senses. Now, it only chilled him when he finally acknowledged that he was numb.

Sitting up, he ran his left hand through his hair, remembering faintly how it had felt when _she_ had done it.

The soft crunch of footsteps alerted him of another's approach, and he slowly turned to the newcomer. Once he recognized the figure in the distance, he left the ground and dusted himself off, leaning against the frozen black marble behind him.

The person stopped before the memorial, clasping his hands tightly and offering a short prayer before reaching into his pocket to withdraw a pack of cards. Opening it, he removed the pair of jokers, and he chuckled as he tucked them back from where they came.

"I'll keep these, teme." Closing the pack once again, the blonde set it on the ledge of the monument.

Sasuke shook his head as he stared at his teammate and best friend, who had meanwhile dropped all formalities and plopped onto the hard earth. The whiskered youth glared at him, clearly agitated.

"You sure did something, going out and dying, you know?"

"You start out like that every time, dobe. You were never one to come up with original comments."

"But you did!" Picking absently at the grass he furrowed his brow. "You really did a number on Sakura-chan, too. Not physically, but, well, you know…"

At the mention of the woman's name, the man with ebony hair sighed. "Naruto–"

The blonde growled dangerously, cutting Sasuke off. He clenched his jaw tightly, gritting his teeth in the process. "I mean, what kind of guy does that?! What kind of guy proposes to his girlfriend, and then goes off and gets killed?!" Resting his forehead on his curled fist, he huffed, trails of "smoke" streaming from his mouth. "I mean, seriously, man."

"It's not like I intended to, dobe." Pushing off the stone, he sat down in front of his comrade. "…You know I would never mean to do that."

"Yada, yada, yada. Some people say you don't talk enough, but I say you talk too much." _Note the one who's talking now... to a dead man no less. _Sasuke made as to smack him on the head but paused, knowing he could not really touch those tangible. "We've been telling her to move on, you know?" Sasuke narrowed his eyes. He _really_ wanted to hit Naruto. "But she keeps refusing, saying she couldn't betray you like that. Damn, she's loyal." Laughing a bit, Naruto stared right into the Uchiha's eyes before stopping completely. Worry clouded his usually-clear azure orbs. "She's starting to act strange, Sasuke-teme. She's always walking around in a daze now, which is not good, especially since she's Tsunade's assistant."

Sasuke looked away, his mask of ignorance and indifference crumbling away to reveal the mounting concern for the pastel-haired woman.

The blonde's face suddenly lightened as he jumped to a new topic. "Hey, did you hear? Kakashi-sensei has a," he waggled his eyebrows suggestively, a giant grin tugging at his lips, "female companion."

Sasuke snorted and rolled his eyes at his mood swing, leaning back to rest on the pads of his hands. "Really, now? What's her name?"

"She calls herself 'Reia'. She's really cool, and the leader of my ANBU team. Her fire manipulation skills make you look like part of a magic act." Sniggering lightly, he couldn't help but feel excited for his old teacher. "She's a couple years younger than him, but they look great together." Standing, he raised his hand a few inches above his head. "She's about yea high, just a little shorter than sensei."

"I didn't know you studied me that closely, Naruto-chan."

Both Sasuke and the loud-mouthed ninja jumped in surprise. A woman about twenty-seven or so stood before them, poorly covering a chuckle that threatened to slip from her lips. The Uchiha man analyzed her, taking in the overall appearance of one of the few who could sneak up on him.

She had a slim, light build and long legs that connoted speed. She stood presented in her ANBU uniform, giving Sasuke her rank, her wolf mask hanging haphazardly from her waist. Her dark brown hair lightly brushed her shoulders, and her bangs hung a bit before her almond-shaped emerald eyes, eyes that spoke of great skill and experience.

Ruffling Naruto's hair affectionately, she smiled widely at the boy. "Tsunade's looking for you. You had better hurry – you know how she gets."

"But I haven't told him about you burning sensei's books, yet! And why does baa-san need me, anyway? I just got back from a mission!" He scratched his head, apparently in deep thought.

Reia acquired a mischievous glint in her eye, patting him on the head as she gestured towards the village. "Maybe she's going to make you hokage." The comment instantly sparked Naruto's interest, earning an "are you serious?!" in reply. "No, I think it's something about a missing mission report."

The dark-eyed man brushed some stray strands of hair from his face. "You really shouldn't tease him like that. It makes him seem even more pathetic." He watched idly as Naruto prepared to depart, uttering another short prayer and bow before poking the brunette beside him playfully.

Strangely, as the pair turned to leave, the Uchiha could have sworn he saw the woman wink at him.


End file.
